On December 6, 1991, a horrific crime shattered Austin, Texas. The charred remains of four teenage girls—Eliza Thomas, 17, Jennifer Harbison, 17, her sister Sarah Harbison, 15, and their friend Amy Ayers, 13—were discovered after firefighters responded to a blaze at I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt!. The murders, brutal and calculated, shocked the city and left an enduring scar on its collective memory. More than three decades later, the case remains one of Texas’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.
The Discovery
That night, firefighters rushed to extinguish what they thought was a routine fire. But inside the storage area, they uncovered a chilling scene—four girls bound, gagged, and naked. All had been shot execution-style; Ayers had also been strangled and shot multiple times. The killer or killers set the blaze using paper plates, cups, and cardboard soaked in lighter fluid. The fire burned so hot that it melted the rungs of an aluminum ladder in the shop.
Investigators believe the crime began as a robbery but escalated into something far more sinister. Evidence suggested the girls were forced to undress, bound with their own clothing, and sexually assaulted. The flames—and later, the water used to extinguish them—destroyed countless potential clues.
The Victims
Eliza Thomas and Jennifer Harbison worked at the yogurt shop. Sarah Harbison and Amy Ayers had simply been waiting for Jennifer to finish her shift. They were young, bright, and full of promise—a promise cruelly cut short. Their murders sparked outrage and fear, prompting a $100,000 reward from local business leaders.
“This was pure, unadulterated evil,” recalled journalist Dick Ellis, who covered the crime in 1991.
The Investigation
Over 1,200 potential suspects have been examined, from local troublemakers to a gang of Mexican motorcycle outlaws. The most significant break came in 1999, when four men—Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, Maurice Pierce, and Forrest Welborn—were arrested. Pierce had once been caught with a .22 caliber handgun, the same caliber used in the murders.
Scott and Springsteen eventually confessed, claiming involvement in the killings. Their convictions seemed to bring closure: Scott was sentenced to death, and Springsteen received life in prison. But in 2009, the Texas Court of Appeals overturned both convictions, ruling the men had been denied the chance to cross-examine each other during trial. DNA evidence at the scene also failed to link them definitively to the crime. The charges were dropped, and they walked free.
Elusive Suspects
Witnesses that night recalled seeing two suspicious men in the shop shortly before closing. These individuals were never identified, despite extensive efforts, including the unusual step of hypnotizing witnesses in hopes of retrieving more detail.
Partial DNA found at the scene has given detectives a sliver of hope. In 2017, the sample matched to an unidentified person in an FBI database. However, due to privacy restrictions, the individual’s identity has never been disclosed.
Why the Case Remains Unsolved
The destruction of the crime scene by fire, coupled with limited forensic technology in 1991, severely hindered the investigation. While modern DNA analysis has advanced, the partial genetic profile recovered still lacks enough markers for a definitive match.
The case is further complicated by false confessions—statements from individuals later proven to have no involvement. Each false lead drains resources and clouds the investigative trail.
Enduring Impact
The Yogurt Shop Murders are more than a cold case—they are a wound in Austin’s history. Every anniversary, the city remembers the four girls, and detectives renew public appeals for information. The families, after decades of heartbreak, still hope for justice.
“This case has haunted Austin for over 30 years,” said Detective John Jones. “We believe someone out there knows something. It’s time to come forward.”
The Hope for Justice
Advancements in forensic genealogy, the same technology used to catch the Golden State Killer, could eventually crack the case. If the partial DNA profile is enhanced or matched to a family member, authorities could finally identify the perpetrator. Until then, the Yogurt Shop Murders remain an open wound—and an open file.
For the families of Eliza Thomas, Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, and Amy Ayers, the hope is that one day the phone will ring with the news they’ve waited decades to hear: We’ve found them.
